Adult Probation >Adult Probation Information >Substance Abuse Substance Abuse: Drug Court Program Maricopa County Adult Probation's Drug Court Program is a post-sentencing court that uses non-traditional methods to address the complex problems associated with substance abuse addiction.

Drug Court emphasizes individual accountability with a system of rewards and sanctions to direct clients through drug education and treatment. The goal is to provide probationers with the tools to facilitate drug-free lifestyles. Drug Court emphasizes a team approach where the judge, prosecutor, public defender, probation officer, and treatment counselor work together toward a common goal of rehabilitation. Drug education, support group participation, counseling, frequent court contact and urinalysis offer motivation for Drug Court contract compliance.

Participants enter into a behavioral contract with the Court, which outlines the offender's expectations within a specified time frame. Compliance or lack thereof is met with rewards or consequences to stimulate successful treatment outcomes. The contract specifies counseling schedule, meetings with the probation officer, urinalysis testing, payment of fees, and other special Drug Court conditions. Rewards include reductions in length of probation grant, court appearances and monetary obligations. Sanctions include community restitution hours, "all-day court", and incarceration. Participants are responsible for paying their own treatment costs. In return, their fines are deferred and Adult Probation pays for urinalysis testing. Drug Court probationers can earn early termination and misdemeanor designation (if applicable), in as little as one year.

For further information, please call (602) 506-6260.

Quick Reference: Drug Court Program
Typical Probationer Characteristics	Program Characteristics
Guilty of drug possession or drug use offenses (not sale offenses)	Defendant signs Drug Court Contract monthly or bimonthly with clearly defined goals, rewards for successful completion, and sanctions for noncompliance
Eligible for Standard Probation Supervision	Status Report with Judge and Team
Need for substance abuse outpatient counseling or drug education classes	Rewards include: Early termination from probation, as early as one year from the day of sentencing Misdemeanor designation (if possible)
Need for drug monitoring	Sanctions include: Jail time; Revocation; Discharge from Drug Court to Standard Probation; Demotion in treatment paths, Community Restitution; All day court; Budget classes
No violent criminal history	Client fees help support program
Not on methadone maintenance
No underlying SMI issues that will impeded them from successfully completing the program